


Cheetah Spots Under Your Skin

by SleepySsnail



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Adorable Cisco Ramon, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Animal Transformation, Barry Allen is The Flash, Doctor Caitlin Snow, Embedded Images, Friendship, Gen, Magic, No Romance, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Platonic Cuddling, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Season/Series 01, Shapeshifting, The Flash (TV 2014) Season 1
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:34:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26037211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SleepySsnail/pseuds/SleepySsnail
Summary: In a world of scientific advancement, vigilantes, and metahumans, Barry Allen was an anomaly. Not because he was a metahuman. but because of one simple factor. Barry Allen couldn’t shift.Even as an adult, Barry hadn't manage a shape change into his animal form once, and he was okay with that. But for whatever reason his body had begun to revolt against him with burning pain throughout his body and itching across his torso that only running could resolve. And for the life of him Barry couldn't figure out why he suddenly felt so wrong in the form he was so used to.Or: Barry has never shape shifted before and doesn't know what it's supposed to feel like, and tries to run away from his problems.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 21





	Cheetah Spots Under Your Skin

**Author's Note:**

> It's my birthday and I bring Jitters and Big Belly Burger to this fandom even though I'm several years late. I offer up this fanfic as the first of hopefully many, I hope you wonderful people enjoy!

In a world of scientific advancement, vigilantes, and metahumans, Barry Allen was an anomaly. Not because he was a metahuman, he had come to accept that as his new normal, but because of one simple factor.

Barry Allen couldn’t shift. 

Everyone in the world could shift at some point in their life, normally accessing their animal form by the age of eleven. But even as an adult, Barry was one of the few people in the world who hadn’t managed a shape change. Ever. 

But it wasn’t a big deal. Barry liked how he was as a human, and after getting a job at the CCPD he stopped caring about not being able to shift. True, there were times when he was jealous of others who were able to shift at a moment’s notice, or those who could use their second forms to their advantage, but all in all Barry was okay as he was. 

But things started to change after the lightning strike. Aside from metahumans and Flash business, Barry himself noticed how his body felt...wrong. Sometimes he felt too tall, other times just plain uncomfortable, not to mention his skin had begun to burn and itch unbearably to the point he was causing more harm scratching himself than relief.

Running helped. Dashing through the streets made some of the indescribable burn in his body fade, replaced by the good familiar strain of his muscles moving and his blood rushing through his veins. 

But sitting still, listening to Dr. Wells talk about the latest meta in painful detail made the itching come back. And unlike at work where he was mostly alone, someone noticed. 

“You okay Barry?” Cisco asked, concern etched into his normally cheerful features. 

“Fine,” Barry lied, forcing a smile. He knew lying to anyone at STAR Labs was pointless, but they were supposed to be tracking down the metahuman who blew up a bowling alley and other new establishments. Not worrying about his weird itch. 

“Are you sure?” Caitlin asked skeptically, her eyes narrowed as she addressed Barry. “Because you’ve been scratching yourself for the last ten minutes.”

Feeling called out, Barry looked around only for Dr. Wells to fix him with a knowing look.

“Care to share with the class Mr. Allen?”

Sighing, Barry rubbed his hand against his ribs and said, “I’ve been getting this weird itch around here for a while.”

Instantly Cisco backed away, mumbling something about chickenpox or shingles while Caitlin approached Barry with keen interest. It was clear the metahuman was going to be put on hold while they tried to deduce why Barry’s skin suddenly decided to hate him. 

“It’s strange,” Caitlin said after almost an hour of questions, examinations, and minor tests. “You don’t show any signs of a rash or skin irritation.”

Shrugging in defeat Barry asked, “So you don’t know what’s wrong with me?”

“No,” Caitlin said apologetically, like it was somehow her fault.

“Maybe it's a side effect of the lightning,” Cisco commented. He had leaned against the door frame of their makeshift med bay, a lollipop in his grasp while he offered his opinion.

It was a weak suggestion and before Caitlin could debunk that idea, Dr. Wells wheeled in to announce that there had been another sighting of their metahuman, cutting Barry’s exam short in order for him to take care of Flash business. But just like after every run, Barry felt better. He still didn’t feel quite right, but the burn had faded and the itching was gone.

So maybe the skin irritation was normal. Barry didn’t know and none of his research gave him anything helpful. It wasn’t like there was a guide for what to do after getting struck by lightning. 

And Caitlin did try her best over the next couple days to look into what might be causing the discomfort, but came up short. For some reason Barry didn’t mind that. If running it off helped with the burning itch and it didn’t hurt anyone, he was fine with that.

* * *

“You look terrible,” Joe commented as he walked into Barry’s lab, a case file tucked under his arm. “Busy night?”

“Not really,” Barry said, pushing his rolling chair away from his desk. “Just didn't sleep well. Is that the-”

“Evidence from the robbery this morning,” Joe finished, handing a couple bags over to Barry. “Eddie’s still interviewing witnesses.”

“I can have this done for you pretty soon,” Barry stated as he checked the tags. 

“You better get on it,” Joe said with a glance back to the door. “Singh’s on a rampage today. Your tardiness really isn’t helping with that.”

Chuckling to himself Barry nodded and remembered the last time Singh chewed him out on being late. It was the same rant as always, something about working Barry overtime for the time he missed, but a part of Barry knew it was an empty threat. There were times when Singh even joked about Barry’s lateness and remarked that his second form had to be a sloth, which was why he never shifted. Things would just get done slower. 

Raising his hands in a mock form of surrender Barry said, “Run the prints, do it fast, report back. I can do that.”

“Good,” Joe nodded, his attention going to the different things scattered about Barry's desk.

Usually Barry kept his workspace neat and tidy, always making sure chemicals were stored properly, in the right places, and with nothing that could be damaged left lying around. But between his sleepless night caused by the returning itch and his scattered mind trying to keep up with the day, a few things were left where they weren’t supposed to be.

“So what's that?” Joe asked, eyeing the tube of cream that sat on Barry’s desk. 

“This?” Barry asked, picking up the bottle and turning it over in his hands. “Something Caitlin whipped up for my skin irritation. I think it’s been helping.”

A familiar look crept into Joe’s face as he asked, “I thought you didn’t need that stuff anymore. You know, with how fast you heal.”

“Me too,” Barry said, setting the bottle back down. “Guess we were wrong.”

“But it’s not contagious?” Joe asked carefully, like he did every time Barry got into some kind of danger.

“No, Joe,” Barry groaned, leaning back in his chair. “You're not gonna catch whatever it is.”

“I’m not worried about me,” Joe said, waving to the tube. “I just wanna make sure you’re taking care of yourself.”

“Aww, you do care,” Barry smiled, resisting the urge to make a papa bear joke. 

Barry had lost count of the number of times Joe shifted into his bear form just because he or Iris mentioned or made anything close to a bear joke. 

“Very funny,” Joe said as he made his way out. “Remember to run the prints.”

“I know how to do my job,” Barry called out, only to be met with silence as he was left alone again. 

Taking up the tube of topical cream, Barry wondered just how long it would be effective before his body worked it off or became immune to its effect. Either way he hoped it would take a while, because whatever magic Caitlin managed to pull off was working to reduce the burn.

* * *

The sound of ruffling feathers was replaced by the clacking of heels as Caitlin stepped into the cortex. Her hair was windblown and a loose downy feather clung to the front of her blouse, but that was normal for her after a shift and usually Caitlin didn't even care too much. Seeing Caitlin before and after her shift was like witnessing someone before they had their morning coffee. A simple change into her second form as a spotted owl did more to relax Caitlin and put her at ease than she seemed to realize, even though everyone around her could see the difference.

“So the itching’s back?” Caitlin asked as she motioned Barry to the medical bed. “Where?”

“Mostly on my ribs,” Barry said, situating himself on the table. Stripping off his shirt Barry gestured to where the irritation was and explained, “It started up again last night after I saw a movie with Iris. The cream didn’t do anything to help.”

“Did we rule out the possibility of it being environmental?” Dr. Wells asked as he rolled in, a look of concern on his face. “Something in your habitat could be causing the reaction.”

“Or an allergy?” Caitlin suggested. Her cool hands felt good against the burning under Barry’s skin, even if her touch was a bit too light. “Did Cisco do anything new to the Flash suit?”

“Not that he’s told me. Why don’t you ask him?” Barry said as he looked around for his friend only to come up short. “Where is Cisco anyway? I thought we were going to run another durability test for the suit?”

In all his time at STAR Labs working with the team Barry had never seen Cisco miss a day. If anything the engineer had to be told when to go home so he didn’t stay overnight. There was one occasion specifically when Cisco came down with a cold and Caitlin had to drive him home despite his protests of being fine. If Cisco wasn’t at the lab, either something was terribly wrong or he was held up at Jitters getting his coffee. 

After a brief moment of silent communication with Caitlin, Dr. Wells stated “Cisco’s taking a shift day.”

Oh. That made more sense. Shift days were normal at the CCPD for anyone who needed them, especially for anyone who worked in the field or high stress environments like Joe. No one in the precinct wanted a repeat of when Eddie shifted into a full grown lion while on duty, so making sure shift days were available was important. Barry even walked into captain Singh’s office once to find him taking his break in his second form.

And while Caitlin was more than comfortable shifting in the lab to spread her wings and perch somewhere, Cisco was more reserved about his secondary form. It made sense he’d want to shift in the comfort of his home.

“I could call him,” Caitlin offered “He might not answer though.”

“Let Mr. Ramon have his day off,” Dr. Wells said as he refocused his attention on Barry. “We all know he doesn't take one as often as he should.”

Nodding in agreement Barry leaned back on the bed as Caitlin began to run through her usual check-up questions.

* * *

The itching was back and it was only getting worse. Grumbling as he raked his nails against his ribs in hopes of relieving the irritation, Barry went over the mental list of things Caitlin told him to do if it got worse.

Apply more of the new cream. Take note of what time the itching began. And don’t touch the area anymore than necessary.

Ignoring the fact that he already broke one of Caitlin's instructions, Barry grabbed the tube of cream and pulled his shirt off to apply it. The itching had been fairly controlled for most of the day, only becoming an issue during Barry’s lunch break when he actually stopped running around his lab to sit down. He even forgot about it completely when he was on patrol as the Flash. That only solidified his belief that moving or running made the pain go away. 

But that was earlier and this was now, and right now it was taking everything in Barry not to resume scratching his chest. Tossing the new tube of cream Caitlin had given him to the side Barry pulled a clean shirt on and flopped down on his couch. It didn’t take long to cue up one of the movies Cisco recommended, and by the time things started picking up, Barry was finding himself intrigued, entertained, and curious about what other films Cisco had to share with him.

It was only when he got halfway into the movie did the itch return worse than ever. Throwing Caitlin’s rules out the window Barry shot up and started to scratch, his frustration with the situation increasing as the itch spread out over the rest of his body. Hissing as his arms and legs began to burn Barry briefly thought about calling Joe or Caitlin only for his mind to go blank.

Shivering as the pain under his skin began to warp and twist, Barry leaned heavily against the back of his couch. His mind was racing with instructions on what to do to calm down and how to stop whatever it was he was feeling, but all of Barry’s instincts screamed at him to run, and nothing sounded more appealing than that. In seconds he was out the door, lightning crackling around him as he tore through the streets. Normally the feeling of his shoes against the pavement and the sense of time slowing down helped to placate the burning itch, but this time it only seemed to enhance it, pushing Barry to run faster.

Barry could feel the soles of his shoes beginning to burn as he raced through Central City, but the cool night air felt good against the heat of his body, and he had no reason to stop yet.

It was right around Barry’s third lap that he felt something begin to change. The itch under his skin didn't fade as much as it began to stretch, almost like something in Barry’s body was lengthening. The sensation traveled throughout his limbs, the heat changing from irritating to powerful. In seconds things felt different to Barry than they ever had, even after the lightning strike. For a brief moment the itch returned, encompassing all of Barry’s body before it broke.

The suddenness of it was what made Barry trip. Even on Cisco’s treadmill Barry had learned the hard way that tripping while running at his top speeds was never good and was always painful. But that never stopped him from putting his hands out to break his fall, and he did just that, expecting the painful grind of concrete to shred against the skin of his palms and leave messy abrasions on his body. 

But it never came. 

There was no bite of the sidewalk on Barry’s hands, no sounds of his clothes ripping from the force of impact, not even a hint of pain. 

Instead there was just the sensation of Barry’s paws on the ground as he continued to run, just in a different form.

Mind racing as he continued to bolt through the streets, lightning still encompassing his now four legged body, Barry realized exactly what happened. He shifted. For the first time in his life he shifted and it felt so right. The way the wind battered against his fur, the way his rough paws launched him farther and faster, and how the rearranged muscles in his body worked together to propel him forward was unlike anything Barry ever experienced before. 

But without warning exhaustion took hold of Barry and forced him to a stop, the electricity around him dissipating as he slowed to a walk before dropping to the ground. Panting heavily Barry realized where exactly he was, the STAR Labs parking garage, and let himself relax. His instincts were at an all time high and were probably what brought him to the safety of STAR Labs, even if no one would be there until morning. 

Barry could feel his instincts fighting against each other as he laid down on the pavement. Part of him wanted to get up and keep running, to fully experience his second form without thinking about the actual feeling of the shift. But he could tell a cool down was necessary. Normally Barry didn’t need a long period to rest after a run, but with his animal form finally revealed to him and the other half of his instincts telling his muscles telling him to relax, he had to listen. Besides, he’d have to tell Dr. Wells and Caitlin about his shifted form before they could really see what he could do. And they’d want to run tests. Barry even figured Cisco might have to redesign or make a few additions to the treadmill to suit his secondary form.

It was all just way too cool.

* * *

“Guys I have something to show you,” Barry said with a wild grin. 

Looking up from where they were trying to rearrange the papers Barry knocked loose when he ran in, Caitlin and Cisco exchanged a curious look before Dr. Wells spoke up. 

“We’re all ears Mr. Allen.”

“No, no,” Barry said as he stepped out in front of everyone. “I have to show you. I figured out what was causing my itching.”

Immediately that got Barry several mixed reactions. Cisco’s automatic recoil was expected, but both Caitlin and Dr. Wells leaned in, interested in what Barry had to share. 

Bouncing on the balls of his feet for a moment, Barry stretched his arms over his head while the burn began to settle into his skin. Only this time he was familiar with it. 

“Okay just don't freak out,” Barry said before toeing off his shoes. “This is still new, I just figured it out last night.”

“Barry,” Caitlin said in a tight voice as he removed his shirt next, “Why are you getting undressed?”

“You’ll see in a sec,” Barry insisted before moving onto his jeans.

“Dude!” Cisco exclaimed, spinning around in his chair. “I do not need to see your junk this early!”

Even Dr. Wells was put off by Barry's sudden exposure. The man’s expression was tense, and to his credit Dr. Wells kept his eyes firmly locked on Barry’s face while Caitlin and Cisco continued to bicker about having already seen all of Barry when he was in a coma.

“Barry,” Dr. Wells said, warning laced in each of his words. “Put your clothes back on.”

Gleefully ignoring the man, Barry turned his attention back to Cisco and Caitlin before saying “Watch this.”

In seconds Barry could feel his bones start to change, lengthening and shortening wherever they needed to, his muscles settling into their second form, and the strange feeling of his tail flicking just above the floor. It was fast, but as Barry settled into his shift he could already tell that he was getting better at it.

Finally sitting down, Barry watched everyone with careful eyes for their reactions. Barry didn’t know exactly what he had been expecting from everyone, but Cisco’s loud exclamation was something he almost knew was coming.

“You shifted!” Cisco all but yelled, rushing around from behind the computers.

Dropping to his knees, Cisco held his fists upward for Barry to smell and waited for a reaction. Taking a careful whiff of Cisco”s hands Barry nudged his hand against his friend before letting out a high pitched sound he didn’t think he’d make. 

“Oh my God,” Caitlin said, breaking the soft silence, “That's adorable.”

“It’s a chirp,” Cisco explained with a grin, “Cheetahs’ voice boxes make it so they can't roar, so they chirp instead. Right bud?”

Barry could only give another chirp in agreement, but he had to admit he didn’t know that fact about cheetahs. He’d have to do some research into his animal form, but for now he was content with the attention he gained from his team.

“Impressive Mr. Allen,” Dr. Wells said as he wheeled just a bit closer, “And although we’re all thrilled for you and your newfound ability, perhaps you’d spare us the dramatics next time you have something this impressive to share?”

“Yeah man,” Cisco agreed, his hand sinking into the rough spotted fur on Barry's neck. “I thought you were gonna show us a rash on your dick or something.”

“That would’ve been...unsettling,” Caitlin agreed, her shoulders tense as she looked over Barry’s shift.

But before Barry could get a good look at what Dr. Wells’ expression, Cisco was in his space again. Aside from the hand scratching at his back and neck, Cisco had slowly pressed his face against Barry’s and was making soft almost chuffing sounds. Ignoring the danger of being so close to Barry’s cheetah form, Cisco continued to lightly butt and brush his face against Barry’s in a way that was friendly and soothing in a way Barry hadn’t anticipated.

Barry didn’t even recognize he was purring until Caitlin commented on it. 

“He’s like a big kitten,” Caitlin said, some of the tension leaving her body as Barry stretched out on the floor. “That’s so cute.”

Purring deeper at the compliment, Barry rubbed his face against Cisco’s face and chest, intrigued by how nice it felt and how his friend understood how to initiate the contact.

“It seems you’ve something in common, Cisco,” Dr. Wells said knowingly, an amused look on his face as Cisco kept up the quiet sounds he was making.

Returning one of Cisco's headbutts and offering a chirp, Barry looked pointedly at Caitlin. She had stayed behind the computer consoles with a curious but hesitant look on her face that made Barry’s stomach twist in disappointment. He wanted her to join him and really see his shift.. Fortunately Cisco seemed to get the message and motioned for Caitlin to join him in petting Barry.

“This is insane,” Caitlin whispered as she gingerly brushed her fingers over Barry’s head. Her light touch against his coat was nice, and the way her nails scratched him felt even better. “Incredible but insane.”

Barry couldn’t help but release another chirp at that, falling back as Cisco leaned into him for a cuddle. 

“If I may Mr. Allen.” Dr. Wells said after a few minutes, drawing the attention of everyone. “I’m not exactly in a position to join you on the floor.”

Waiting a brief moment for Caitlin and Cisco to give him room, Barry stood up and made his way over to Dr. Wells, enjoying how he seemed to slink more than walk. Like Caitlin, Dr. Wells was tentative in his touch, but he had the same confidence Cisco did in where he placed his hands on Barry’s neck and back. He even scratched under Barry’s chin, eliciting another round of purring before laughing himself. 

“I think we’ll leave you to get dressed again,” Dr. Wells said as Barry wandered around the cortex, taking in the different smells he missed in his human form. A smile flickered across Wells’ face before he added, “Perhaps you should take Cisco with you to invest in some shifting clothes. I’m sure they’ll come in handy with your...activities.”

“Dude, this means I need to upgrade the suit so you can shift in it,” Cisco said in wonder, his mind clicking all the pieces together. “Can you use your speed in your shift? Have you tried it yet?”

“We can test that,” Caitlin supplied, already moving around to gather her tablet. “If he can use his speed as a cheetah then he’ll be limited to less than a minute of activity before needing a break.”

Listening as the two scientists began to bounce ideas off each other, Barry looked at Dr. Wells only to find the man staring at him with piercing blue eyes. 

“Best get changed Barry,” Dr. Wells said, beginning to wheel his chair around to the computers “You just made this far more interesting.”

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> And that's that! I had fun writing this and have a few more ideas for this au that I'll hopefully get out soon. Please check me out as sleepyssnail on both my [tumblr](https://sleepyssnail.tumblr.com/) and my [instagram](https://www.instagram.com/sleepyssnail/) if you want to send me some prompts for writing or edits!


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